Royal Blood - I Only Lie When I Love You - Guitar Lesson

About I Only Lie When I Love You

Drop D tuning is central to how this track works. Royal Blood built their whole sound around a bass-through-octave-and-fuzz setup, but on guitar that Drop D lets you lock in the same kind of thick, open low-end punch the riff demands. The song sits in E minor at a steady 96 BPM, which is moderate enough to feel controlled yet heavy enough that sloppy palm muting will stick out immediately. The signature riff leans on that low dropped D string hard, so clean muting technique between notes is where most of the work is. If the riff feels uneven at tempo, use the Practice Toolbar to loop it slowed down and focus on where your pick hand is actually landing. This is a great track for players stepping into Hard Rock riffing, since the core pattern is not especially complex but it rewards real attention to tone and timing over raw speed.

• Drop D tuning is essential here, giving the main riff its low, open heaviness on the sixth string.
• Palm muting control on the dropped D string is the key technique to nail before attempting this at full tempo.
• At 96 BPM the riff sits at a medium pace, making it ideal for drilling muting precision with the Practice Toolbar slowed down.